This is Edgar Ulmer's last Yiddish film before his departure for Hollywood where he eventually made "Detour" in 1945.
I saw this film at a screening organized by the Toronto Jewish Film Society. Much to my surprise, we were informed that Ulmer didn't speak Yiddish! He apparently did his journeyman film direction in a variety of languages he couldn't speak. Just a gun for hire, it seems.
His direction here is pretty foursquare with only a few flourishes, although he does seem to get mostly good performances out of a cast led by Leo Fuchs, as the often-engaged bachelor who requires a spell as a professional matchmaker to finally solve his matrimonial woes.
The film begins as a spoof of matchmaking -- Fuchs the wheeler-dealer turns it into big business, American style, with bonuses, staff meetings, and fancy advertising -- but ultimately the old country values are confirmed.
This amusing film -- Yiddish-speaking members of the audience loved it -- is bilingual throughout, about 90% Yiddish or Yiddish mixed with English (e.g. "bachelor party"), and 10% English. The film even goes trilingual at one point when the number "five" is said a third time as "pyat" (Russian, Ukrainian) for emphasis.
Warning: This is perhaps the most poorly subtitled film I have ever seen. Come prepared with a smattering of Yiddish, or at least German (it worked pretty well for me).
"Americaner Shadchen" was screened in a double bill with the earlier Leo Fuchs comedy, "I Want To Be a Boarder" (1937). It is somewhat primitive to look at but still quite funny where it counts. If it were not for his accent, the handsome and versatile Fuchs should have had a strong career in the conventional American cinema.
I saw this film at a screening organized by the Toronto Jewish Film Society. Much to my surprise, we were informed that Ulmer didn't speak Yiddish! He apparently did his journeyman film direction in a variety of languages he couldn't speak. Just a gun for hire, it seems.
His direction here is pretty foursquare with only a few flourishes, although he does seem to get mostly good performances out of a cast led by Leo Fuchs, as the often-engaged bachelor who requires a spell as a professional matchmaker to finally solve his matrimonial woes.
The film begins as a spoof of matchmaking -- Fuchs the wheeler-dealer turns it into big business, American style, with bonuses, staff meetings, and fancy advertising -- but ultimately the old country values are confirmed.
This amusing film -- Yiddish-speaking members of the audience loved it -- is bilingual throughout, about 90% Yiddish or Yiddish mixed with English (e.g. "bachelor party"), and 10% English. The film even goes trilingual at one point when the number "five" is said a third time as "pyat" (Russian, Ukrainian) for emphasis.
Warning: This is perhaps the most poorly subtitled film I have ever seen. Come prepared with a smattering of Yiddish, or at least German (it worked pretty well for me).
"Americaner Shadchen" was screened in a double bill with the earlier Leo Fuchs comedy, "I Want To Be a Boarder" (1937). It is somewhat primitive to look at but still quite funny where it counts. If it were not for his accent, the handsome and versatile Fuchs should have had a strong career in the conventional American cinema.